SULLY Indoor Bowls Club championship team have had a poor start to the new season losing both opening games.

Firstly on Saturday, October 8, they lost away to Port Talbot who were relegated last season but were always going to be formidable opponents and then home to Newport on Saturday, October 15 who are always strong opponents.

The Port Talbot game came early in the new season with many Sully players short of practice and with Port Talbot fielding a number of top class players including some leading junior players Sully were always going to be up against it.

Port Talbot got off to a quick start and with the Sully team short of a number of players, unavailable for a variety or reasons, were always likely to struggle on a green yards quicker than the Sully green. After five ends Port Talbot had gone into a useful 17 shot lead, 37 – 20, unfortunately the rink of John Best, Alan Rees, Peter Hocking and skip Carl Best were up against a Port Talbot rink skipped by renowned international bowler John Price and were 12 – 0 down.

As the game progressed Port Talbot continued to pressurise the Sully rinks but two Sully rinks skipped by Fred Phillips and Matt Gershenson were both managing to hold a four shot advantage over their opponents leading 12 – 8 and 10 - 6 respectively after the tenth end.

The other Sully rinks skipped by Dave Curtis, Chris Ackland and Ken McLeod were now competing well but at this stage Port Talbot still held an 18 shot lead mainly due to the rink of John Price who were playing brilliant bowls increasing their advantage over Best’s rink to 18 leading 19 – 1.

Through ends 11 to 15 Port Talbot increased their advantage to 28 shots with the Sully rinks skipped by Ackland, McLeod and Curtis losing ground to their opponents behind by seven, 11 and four respectively, whilst Best clawed five shots back and with Phillips and Gershenson remaining ahead four shots apiece, the overall score now stood at 69 – 97 in favour of the home side.

Over the closing ends Sully continued to struggle and the rinks of McLeod and Curtis lost out to their opponents by 16 and 12 respectively with Best’s rink always under the cosh finally losing by 20 shots. Ackland’s rink fought back well eventually going down by just one shot 19 – 20 leaving the rinks of Charles Coomber, Graham Brown, Paul Webley and Fred Phillips to win by four along with the rink of Phil Gershenson, John Jones, Graham Cogbill and Matt Gershenson scraping home by two shots as the only Sully winning rinks. Port Talbot gained 18 points to Sully’s four points winning overall by 43 shots 97 – 140.

Sully welcomed Newport to Sully Stadium last Saturday expecting a close game as in previous years. Sully were hoping to get their league challenge back on track but were only too aware that they would have to be at the top of their game to get a result.

Sully got off to a poor start with Newport taking full advantage going into a 13 shot lead at the end of the fifth with all Sully rinks behind. Eventually Sully players began to compete and were now playing well with the rink of Brian Gist, John Jones, Graham Cogbill and skip Matt Gershenson taking a four shot lead helping to close the gap to one by the end of the tenth with the score now 55 – 56.

Over the next five ends Sully began to take charge on four of the six rinks and although the rinks of Brian Griffiths and Ken McLeod were both behind by six shots apiece Sully had retained their lead at the 15th end, 84 – 82.

The game was now entering the final quarter and Sully were now in a winning position and with the rinks of Dick Cowling, Chris Ackland and Matt Gershenson winning their games by five, seven and two respectively Sully were looking good but the remaining rinks went into meltdown.

Fred Phillips rink including Andrew Morgan, Steve Close and Peter Hocking had led a very good Newport rink up to end 18 then dropped a seven and a four on the final end when attempting to recover their deficit losing 18 – 27.

The rink of Gary Eastment, Clive Collins, Dave Curtis and Brian Griffiths scored four shots on the first end but that was the only time they were ahead as their opposition won 13 ends to Sully’s eight winning 18 – 28.

Ken McLeod supported by John Best, Roy Richards and Rod Hudson struggled all through the game never getting to grips with their opponents eventually losing by eight shots 12 – 20.

Having been in a positive position at the 16th end Sully were disappointed to lose this game by 13 shots 112 – 125 and taking only six points against Newport’s 16.

Next Saturday Sully travel to Pontypridd to take on Taff Ely who have had an excellent start to their season.